Hampton Matters Blog

Hampton Matters blog

Hampton will host the second of two public hearings on the proposed $31.5 million aquatics center project at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hampton Performing Arts Center, 300 Butler Farm Rd. City Council members told city staff they wanted to hear more from the citizens before making any concrete moves...

Want to party like it’s 1899 this Christmas? The Hampton History Museum is hosting a talk next Monday about how Americans in the 19th century celebrated the holiday and how they shaped our modern Christmas traditions. Cathy Wright, the curator of Richmond’s American Civil War Museum, will discuss...

Hampton is looking for citizens to help guide the conversation at the second “Urgency of Now” symposium the city plans to host early next year. The first symposium, staged in conjunction with national group Cities United, was billed as a “we’re tired of talking” effort to find practical solutions...

UPDATE: Three additional FEMA disaster recovery centers will open around Hampton Roads, including in Hampton, at 1 p.m. Monday to begin processing claims of damage caused by Hurricane Matthew. FEMA announced last week that it would open additional centers after residents with Matthew-related damage...

Hampton Matters blog

It’s a common notion that when school lets out in June, some kids will spend their days at summer camp programs to keep them busy. Less common? Winter camp. The city of Hampton is offering what it calls “Operation Winter Break,” a week-and-a-half-long camp run through several of the city’s community...

Hampton received mostly glowing reviews during the biennial citizen satisfaction tracking survey, though residents did have a couple of notes. The upshot: life is generally good in Hampton and people are largely satisfied with local government services, but schools, roads and crime all need to...

After nearly a year’s worth of study by city staff, Hampton is ready to unveil what may be the beginning of a sea change for cyclists and pedestrians across the city. Looking at factors like crash data and existing cyclist and pedestrian amenities, the city’s planning department has put together...

Some Hampton residents won’t be able to make it to the polls on Election Day for one reason or another. However, a long list of exemptions allow you to vote ahead of the election at the Hampton Voter Registrar’s office. For those who can’t get to the office during the week, the registrar’s office...

Hampton Matters blog

City council consent agendas are supposed to be filled with noncontroversial housekeeping items so that they can be quickly approved without long, drawn-out discussions. Sometimes, however, things slip in that can become serious cause for concern, as citizens saw at the most recent Hampton City...

What do you do when you have one of the best petting zoos in the nation? You use it. Duh. Bluebird Gap Farm was recently named the 10th-best petting zoo in the United States by American Towns Media, a digital media company that aggregates community activities. Bluebird Gap Farm was the only Virginia...

Mayor Donnie Tuck will give his first State of the City speech Nov. 15, the city announced Tuesday. The only hint of what the speech will include was the theme: “Full Speed Ahead.” What Tuck may talk about speeding toward — or away from — is yet to be seen. Last year’s address, from then-mayor...

As the nights get longer, the leaves turn and the trademark Tidewater humidity slowly changes to a chill, lovers of scares will have plenty to choose from in Hampton over the next month. Several events with serious – even historical – fright factors will happen throughout October. The Zombie Contagion...

Hampton Matters blog

Hampton’s put together a plan to improve infrastructure around the city to help bikers and pedestrians get around. To celebrate, the city is hosting a series of runs and rides starting in downtown Hampton on Sept. 24. Between 8 a.m. and about noon, city staff will coordinate walks and rides ranging...

With much fanfare, the city announced Friday that the former site of the Motel 6 would become a 109-room Hyatt Place hotel. It didn’t come cheap, but the city hopes that the hotel from developers Hampton Lodging Partners will not only be a moneymaker itself, but a catalyst for other hotel investment...

The Hampton History Museum will host a week of walking tours highlighting the stories and people from some of the darker parts of Hampton’s past, and it needs volunteers to bring the frights to life. Open auditions will be held at the museum on Sept. 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. Actors will be provided...

Local Muslim leader Ahmed Noor has a message for people who will see a large gathering of Muslims next Monday morning: “We are by no means celebrating the very horrific activities of 9/11.” The Mosque and Islamic Center of Hampton Roads will host roughly 3,000 Muslims at the Boo Williams Sportsplex...

Hampton Matters blog

Recent terrorist attacks in Belgium, France and elsewhere have reminded people throughout the world that violence can happen anywhere. The City of Hampton and the Department of Homeland Security are teaming up to give locals the tools to help recognize and prevent a potential attack. Terrorism...

By now, many in Hampton are familiar with the story – a group of black women were the mathematical minds behind getting Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong to the surface of the moon, despite the social barriers that stood in those women’s way. But next week, the woman who literally wrote the book on...

Any changes, large or small, to the traffic flow between the Peninsula and the Southside would have huge effects on the region. A long-awaited study outlines just what those effects would be and early next month the public will get to weigh in on suggestions for alleviating the headache of crossing...

You walk into the living room and the dog is lying on his side. You try to rouse him, first with a toy or the promise of a treat, and then with a nudge from your foot. He doesn’t move. What do you do? For most of us, the answer is panic. If you want to avoid that step altogether, a class from Hampton’s...

Digital Plus

Two women suffered injuries not considered to be life-threatening after getting caught in a shooting’s crossfire in Newport News Thursday night, police said. The incident occurred shortly before 8:40 p.m. in the area of 9th Street and Ivy Avenue. Officers were called to the area for a report of...

A disabled vehicle has been cleared from a northbound lane on US-17 at the James River Bridge (Rte 17) in Newport News, VDOT reported via tweet. One lane of travel was closed and VDOT anticipated potential traffic delays.

The three judges who declared a tie in the 94th District House of Delegates race denied a request from Democrat Shelly Simonds Wednesday to reconsider their decision and name her the winner. They asserted that they followed all the rules and properly ruled a ballot as a vote for Republican incumbent...